Garment



n- 6, 1959 c. T. HORTQN ET AL 2,867,215

GARMENT Filed June 21, 1957 INVENTORS CHARLES T. HORTON A-HIGHT 3'2.

FI'TQRNEY3 2,867,215 7 GA N Charles T.-Horton, Aberdeen, and Henry A.Hight, Jr.,

Carthage, N. C.

Application June 21, 1957, Serial No. 667,080

3 Claims. or. 128-399) This invention relates to improvements in anarticle of clothing, and more specifically, the invention pertains to abody surrounding garment including body heating means.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide an elasticgarment for extension across the abdomen, the garment being formed ofknitted elastic materials to affect a supporting force on the abdomenand having means thereon for carrying a plurality of removable heatingdevices.

Another object of this invention is to provide a garment of the typedescribed which naturally follows the body contours so that the garmentmay be comfortably and inconspicuously worn.

This invention contemplates, as a still further object, the provision ofa garment constructed as described above and including means forsupporting or sustaining a catamenial napkin in position. Other andfurther objects and advantages of the present invention will become moreevident from a consideration of the following specification when read inconjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a garment constructed in accordancewith the teachings of this invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the vertical plane of line22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed crosssectional view takenon the inclined plane of line 33, looking in the direction of thearrows;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view showing the garment in use; and

Figure 5 is a rear elevational view of the garment in use.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, reference numeraldesignates, in general, a garment constructed in accordance with thepresent invention. As illustrated, the garment 10 is seen to include amain body portion 12 having an inverted substantially triangularconfiguration and formed of a knitted elastic material. The main bodyportion 12 is formed with downwardly converging sides 14 and 16 and abase 18, the marginal edges of which are reverted and secured inposition by lines of stitches 20.

Elongated substantially rectangular flaps 22, 24 project laterally fromthe reverted portions of the edges 14 and 16, respectively, andstitching 26 extending along two sides thereof give rise to a pair ofpockets 28, 30 having open upper ends.

The upper end of the main body portion 12 is secured by stitching 32 tothe inner side of an endless waist band 34 also formed of knittedelastic material.

The upper end of the pair of downwardly converging rear straps 36, 38are secured by'stitching 40 and 42, respectively, to the waist band 34at points thereon which fall at the top of the hip bone. The lower endsof the straps 36, 38 are secured together by a fabric tab 44 andstitching 46, and from which depends the to this invention.

2,367,215 Patented Jan. 6, 1959 2 rear conventional sanitary napkinclamp 48 or securing device. As .is seen in Figure 5 of the drawing, thejunction of the lower ends of the straps 36, 38 occurs at a point spacedbelow the lower end of the spine to prevent pressure thereon whichconventional-single strap garments of similannature and function cannotavoid and which causes discomfort to' the. wearer. The basic garment iscompletedflby'. providing asecond sanitary napkin clamp 50 ofconventional construction at the.

front of the garment, the clamp being secured by a tab 52 to the body12. The securing means comprises the lines of stitching 54. -As is seenin Figures 1 and 2,

"the tab is located adjacent the marginal edge of the base 18.

Reference is now specifically made to Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, and inparticular to the pockets 28, 30. Each of these pockets is adapted toremovably receive a conventional heating element 56, 58, respectively,the ele ments being of the general type now used as warming means inhand warmers of the type now sold on the open market.

As has been stated above, the main body portion 12 is designed to exertsome constraining pressure on the abdomen. Additionally, the bodyportion 12 acts as a heat insulator in that it tends to preventradiation of the body heat. This portion of the garment also serves toretain the artificial heat generated by the elements 56, 58, and shouldthe warmth at any time become too intense for the wearer, either or bothof the heating elements may be removed through the open upper ends ofthe pockets 28, 30.

The location of the pockets 28, 30 is of importance As is illustratedherein, the spacing of these pockets on the main body portion 12 is suchthat the heating elements 56, 58 when disposed within the pocketsoverlie the ovaries. This adds greatly to the users comfort during themenstrual periods.

Having described and illustrated in detail one embodiment of thisinvention, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by wayof example, and that the invention is to be limited only by the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A garment comprising an endless waist band, an inverted substantiallytriangular strip of material having the base portion thereof secured tosaid waist band and depending therefrom, means adjacent each side ofsaid strip to slidably receive heating elements therein, a pair ofstraps having one of their respective ends fixedly secured to said waistband at spaced intervals, said straps converging downwardly toward eachother, means securing together the lower ends of said straps, a sanitarynapkin supporting clamp fixedly secured to the lower ends of said strapsand to the lower end of said strip of material, the marginal edges ofthe sides of said strip being reverted, means securing the revertedportions of said strip in position, said reverted portions each havingan elongated substantially rectangular flap extending inwardly from saidsides of said strip, and said last named means securing two sides ofsaid flaps to said strip to form a pair of pockets each having an openupper end, each of said pockets being adapted to removably receive aheating element therein.

2. A garment comprising an endless waist band formed of knitted elasticmaterial, an inverted substantially triangular strip of knitted elasticmaterial forming the main body portion of said garment, means fixedlysecuring the base of said main body portion to said band, a pair ofstraps formed of elastic material, means fixedly securing one end ofeach of said straps to said waist band at spaced intervalsthereon, saidstraps converging downwardly towards each other, a tab fixedly securingtogether the lower ends of said straps, a sanitary napkin clampdepending from said tab, a tab secured to the lower end of said mainbody portion, a sanitary napkin clamp depending from said last namedtab, 'themarginal edges of the sides of said mainbody'p'ortion'being'reverted and secured thereto, each of said reverted.portions having an integrally formed inwardly extending fiap in;termediate the'erids thereof, and means'"connecting;two sides; of'saidflaps to said main body portion to form a pair of pockets each havingLanopen end, said pockets being adapted to removably receive heating meansthere,- 1n. it t a 3. A garment as definedinvclaim. of material and saidwaist elastic material.

l .vi'herein saidlstrip band are formed of Va knitted References Citedin the file of this patent Great Britain Oct 25, 1927 Feb; 22,- 1934

